Magistrate Fazil Azeez yesterday remanded to prison a man accused of stealing mangoes and other items over a period of time and displaying threatening behaviour toward their owners, when he appeared at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court to answer to the charges.
Wayne Joseph called ‘Abbot’ of Phoenix Park, West Bank Demerara (WBD) pleaded not guilty to two counts of simple larceny, three counts of praedial larceny, a charge of threatening behaviour, a charge of threatening language and a charge of larceny of an animal being kept in a state of confinement.
Joseph, on February 1, at Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen, WBD, allegedly stole ten mangoes worth $300, the product of a cultivated plant growing on a piece of land and the property of Alfred Edwards. Joseph is also accused of threatening Edwards on the same day. On February 5, at the same location, he also allegedly stole 70 mangoes worth $2000 from Edwards’s property.
The next day, also at Samaroo Dam, Joseph allegedly stole a case of beer bottles valued at $800, which belonged to Pamela Dookhan and reportedly behaved in a threatening manner toward her. He is also accused of stealing 80 mangoes growing on an open piece of land at Middle Street, Pouderoyen on the same day. The mangoes are valued at $3000 and are the property of Doreen Waldron.
Further, on February 3, at Malgre Tout, WBD, Joseph allegedly stole two Duncan 17 plates and 12 volts batteries worth $34 000 which belong to the Roraima Investment Company Limited. On February 4, also at Malgre Tout, Joseph also allegedly stole two chickens, ordinarily being kept in a state of confinement for domestic purposes, which are owned by Hafeeze Khan. The chickens were valued at $1600.
In his defence Joseph told the court that he had had problems with the virtual complainants and “they just raise up pon me”. The man admitted that he had earlier been placed before the court to answer to similar charges, though that case had been dismissed.
Joseph was ordered to appear at court on February 26.